Teaching is a noble profession. It goes beyond simply getting a job to satisfy one’s financial needs. It also encompasses one’s working hours to provide extra free service to pupils who need it. It is endowed with positive and negative aspects. Before entering this vocation, one must first browse these aspects.
As to negative aspects, teachers need to perform routine and clerical work. These include daily checking of attendance, recording of scores, preparing visual aids and lesson plans, occasional writing to parents about children’s behavior and many more. Next, there is lacking of concrete and tangible results. Unlike in other professions like accounting, once the numbers are computed, accurate result follows, or in architecture wherein when cement and hollow blocks are properly mixed and spread on the floor, a strong foundation is formed. Teachers can’t anticipate what kind of graduates they will produce. Third, there is low salary. Teachers in the urban areas are considered poor, even below the poverty line unlike during the American and Spanish regime when teachers are considered elite. Last, they have a comparatively low status among professional groups. As to status, teachers are not considered to be leveled with doctors, lawyers and engineers. This is beyond the fact that teachers need to finish their four years in college, pass the licensure examination and engage in different rankings and teaching demonstration before getting a chance to be a teacher with a national position.
But one must not be weaken by these negative aspects. Going to the positive aspects, teachers experience freedom in the performance of the job. Guided by the lesson plan and the curriculum, a teacher has the final discretion on how she will carry out the lesson to make it interesting and easy for the pupils. Second, there is recognition from parents, peers and community. Teachers are well known in the community that if they will quit teaching, they might have a good chance in politics. Recognition and respect in the community is earned from handling numerous children yearly. Third, there is the establishment of warm and happy relationship with students. A teacher always feels young at heart whenever with children. The children remind her of her childhood days. With them, she experiences real laughter and caring atmosphere. Their learning serves as inspiration for her to pursue her career. Fourth, there is an increasing concern by the government. It is often seen in the news that the government is passing bills to make salaries of the teachers increase, produce more classrooms and textbooks and try to improve curriculum. Belonging to a third world country, the government’s effort to elevate our learning situation is truly remarkable. Fifth, teaching provides an opportunity for social service. People in the community trust teachers to be good leaders of community projects. Sixth, teaching is an opportunity for self-actualization. A teacher learns about herself with the aid of the people, pupils, and colleagues surrounding her. This helps her to be a better person and member of the community. Next, teaching provides an opportunity to bridge the gaps between the past, present and the future. By instilling in the minds of the children the mistakes and lessons from the past, teachers help pupils not to repeat it and be better citizens in the future. They also serve as counselors to pupils who find it hard to tell their parents about their adolescent problems.
Being a teacher is hard. It requires patience, perseverance, intelligence and proper work attitude. On the hands of the teachers, the future depends. Sometimes, teaching seems like an impossible task. But seeing pupils learn, graduate and become professionals, teaching becomes a fulfilling vocation. It becomes the most important job there is. And there will be no happier moments than hearing your former pupils express words of gratitude because you have helped them reach their goals.
By: Noriza De Leon Fariñas | Teacher-I Orion Elem School
